Looking for inspiration for an outdoor summer party, entertaining maven Rachel Hollis recalled the lemonade stands of her childhood. The cheerful lemon yellow of that youthful memory became the vision for her party setting, combining happily with a pretty blue-and-white foundation.

Reinforcing her thoughts of a lemon-themed party, Hollis explains, “Today, -people often use produce as well as flowers on a table. It’s fun to have that option and to mix the bright colors that both have to offer. Lemons are an apt symbol of the carefree days of summer.”

Although the yellow scheme prevails, Hollis exchanged the idea of using lemons in the centerpiece for mixed bunches of tulips, roses, and freesia that were fastened to a piece of driftwood—her allusion to happy times at the beach. The floral yellows zestfully mix with blue-and-white tableware and accessories for a pleasing palette that incorporates crisp white porcelain dinner plates enhanced with cobalt blue rims that are patterned with concentric circles of raised white dots.

To anchor her place settings, Hollis uses an embroidered linen runner with blue designs on a white ground, coordinating napkins, and textural round rattan placemats. A simple straight pin secures an individual placecard to a real lemon at each guest’s place at the table. Pillows cushioning the white wicker chairs buzz with streaky embroidered blue circles.

The menu returns to the real-lemon theme with citrus elements that provide zesty but not overpowering flavors, including a mushroom salad with lemon vinaigrette, grilled lemon-glazed chicken, lemon cake, and a selection of lemon-enhanced beverages. “Summer puts people in good spirits,” Hollis says. “This is the time to pick a theme that is laid-back and cheerfully chic.”

To coordinate with the dot design of the dinnerware, dotted clear glasses from Pier 1[19] Imports and clear “Colette” footed goblets from Juliska[20] mingle with yellow pincushion proteas strewn on the table.

Lemonade in different flavors presents refreshing options for everyone—and will especially please the teetotalers in the group. Add combos like strawberry and basil or raspberry and mint for a twist on the classic.

You can purchase limoncello at a liquor store, but this homemade version is much more satisfying and less acidic. Serve it chilled as an after-dinner cordial or in cocktails as a substitute for lemon juice. A dash of limoncello in a dry vodka martini is a sublime summer drink.

Salad Enokitake mushrooms are tiny cultivated mushrooms with small heads and long, delicate, edible stems. They have a mild, fruity taste and an almost crunchy texture. They are available year-round. Enokitake mushrooms are a perfect foil to the meatier cremini mushrooms and full-bodied shiitakes in this salad.

1 small bunch fresh enokitake (enoki) mushrooms

6 fresh cremini mushrooms, thinly sliced

6 fresh shiitake mushrooms, stems removed and thinly sliced

2 carrots

4 green onions, thinly sliced on the diagonal

1/4 cup torn fresh Italian (flat-leaf) parsley

2 lemons

3 tablespoons olive oil

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

6 leaves butterhead lettuce*

12 leaves radicchio*

Lemon slices and/or lemon peel strips

Freshly ground black pepper

Trim stems from enokitake mushrooms to about 2 inches long; combine in large bowl with sliced mushrooms.

With vegetable peeler, cut carrots into 2- to 3-inch-long ribbons; add to mushrooms in bowl along with green onions and parsley. Juice lemons; drizzle juice atop mushroom mixture; toss to combine. Add olive oil; toss to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Line six salad plates with butterhead lettuce leaves. Place two radicchio leaves inside each lettuce leaf to form a cup. Spoon in mushroom salad. Garnish with lemon and sprinkle of black pepper. Makes 6 servings.

Skin-on chicken or no? Leaving the skin on chicken when grilling results in a crispier texture and moister meat from the layer of fat underneath the skin. However, if you are concerned about extra calories from fat, use skinless chicken.

Season chicken with salt and pepper; coat with cooking spray. In small saucepan, combine honey, lemon juice, mustard, and thyme. Bring to boil; reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, 3 to 5 minutes just until slightly thickened. Set aside.

We are thrilled to share this gorgeous cake recipe from Magnolia Bakery[36]. Magnolia Bakery opened in New York City in 1996 and quickly gained a reputation for its light, airy cupcakes and homey American desserts. They now have eight locations in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, and Dubai.

4-1/2 cups cake flour

2 tablespoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

2-1/2 cups buttermilk

4 large egg whites

3 cups sugar

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon finely shredded lemon peel

1 cup butter (8 ounces), softened

1 teaspoon pure lemon extract

1 recipe Lemon Meringue Buttercream Frosting (follows)

Meyer lemon slices or lemon slices (optional)

Preheat oven to 325°F. Grease bottoms of three 9x1-1/2-inch round cake pans*. Line bottoms of pans with waxed paper. Grease bottoms and sides of pans, then lightly flour pans; set aside.

In medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt; set aside. In another medium bowl, whisk together buttermilk and egg whites.

In stand mixer bowl, combine sugar and lemon peel, rubbing them together with your fingers until sugar is moist and fragrant. Add butter. Beat on medium speed for 3 minutes.

To assemble: Place one cake layer, bottom side up, on serving plate. Spread with 3/4 cup of Lemon Meringue Buttercream Frosting. Top with second cake layer, rounded (top) side up. Spread with 3/4 cup frosting. Place remaining cake layer on top, rounded (top) side up; spread top and sides of cake with remaining frosting. If desired, garnish with lemon slices. Store cake in refrigerator.

*Tip: If you only have two cake pans, refrigerate remaining batter. Wash and dry one pan and prepare as above. Fill pan with remaining batter; bake and cool as directed. Makes 12 to 16 servings.

Lemon Meringue Buttercream Frosting

A candy thermometer is handy for measuring the temperature of the sugar syrup to firm-ball stage (245°F). If you don’t have a candy thermometer, test for firm-ball stage by dropping a little of the syrup in cold water. The drop of syrup should hold its shape but still be malleable to the touch. This occurs about 15 minutes after bringing syrup to boiling.

**Tip: If using a stand mixer with a single beater that moves around the bowl, stop mixer and pour small amount of syrup over egg whites. Immediately beat on high speed 5 seconds. Stop mixer and add more syrup. Beat on high speed 5 seconds more. Continue stopping and adding remaining syrup in batches. If using handheld mixer, beat syrup into whites in steady stream. Avoid pouring syrup onto beaters, which will cause syrup to splatter onto sides of bowl.